University Archives

The University Archives is the repository for the historical papers of Cal Poly’s administration, faculty and staff, colleges and departments, and students on campus. University Archives is a rich resource for historical research and supports current administrative needs. University Archives is located in the library’s Special Collections and Archives department.

The Mustang News turns 100!

Cal Poly’s student newspaper is 100 years old. Learn more about the history of the paper, see digitized copies, and prepare for the anniversary in Fall 2016 here.

University Archives Collections

University Archives materials are available for research in the Special Collections and Archives Reading Room. To find more information about university records open for research, visit our collections page. Read about about how to access the collections at Reference Services and learn how to request copies at our Reproduction Services page.

Collection development

The Special Collections and Archives department collects archival and printed materials on the history, growth, and development of Cal Poly. This section provides more information, including other giving opportunities.

What comprises University Archives

Scope of the University Archives

Records of the administrative offices, academic departments, and governing bodies of the university, including minutes, correspondence, memoranda, reports

University publications, general and special, including catalogs and bulletins, newsletters, press releases, and promotional material

Records of student organizations and activities, including minutes, correspondence, publications, ephemera, memorabilia and realia, including scrapbooks, posters, and brochures

Material from alumni and their organizations, including organizational records, publications and ephemera, when such materials are judged to reflect significant events and aspects of the university’s history

Cal Poly Authors Policy Statement

The Special Collections and Archives department collects commercially published monographs written or compiled by members of the university’s faculty. These monographs are placed in the Cal Poly Authors Collection and become a part of University Archives. The purpose of this collection is to preserve a record of the scholarly endeavors of the faculty. Materials in this collection are available for use in the Special Collections and Archives department, for exhibitions or for temporary reassignment to the Reserve Room Collection at the discretion of Special Collections and Archives staff.

Faculty members who have published are encouraged to provide courtesy copies from their publishers to the Kennedy Library for this collection. Signed copies of faculty monographs are particularly prized.

Excluded from the collection are lab manuals, pamphlets, workbooks, self-published materials and multiple copies of the same title. New editions of older works that are substantially revised will be considered. Donations of such publications are accepted for inclusion in the collection. Second copies may be ordered at the author’s request.

Other faculty scholarly and creative work, including journal articles, conference proceedings, presentations, and other non-monographic scholarly work are located in the university’s institutional repository, DigitalCommons@CalPoly.

Requests to add new titles to this collection may be submitted to Collection Development for review with Special Collections and Archives. Titles that fit with this collection policy will be added and charged to the funding code for the relevant academic department.

Collecting Procedures

Special Collections and Archives staff are authorized to:

Develop collecting policies and documentation strategies that provide for the systematic management of the archival record of Cal Poly

Review all university records, prior to their disposal or destruction, for the purpose of selecting records for retention in the University Archives

Negotiate for the transfer of archival materials from their originating office to the University Archives

Identify collections and materials that are physically maintained outside the Library

Seal records which require confidential treatment as mandated by law or by conditions of transfer or gift

The Special Collections and Archives department welcomes inquiries about potential donations to University Archives. Please contact us first before shipping any material. We will then work with you to determine the most appropriate disposition of the material and to complete the necessary paperwork. In some cases, Special Collections and Archives staff may wish to view any potential University Archives material before it is physically transferred to the department.

To transfer ownership of the archival materials to University Archives, we ask you to sign a University Archives Deed of Gift or Acknowledgement of Transfer form. The deed of gift includes a brief description of the material donated and can be customized to address the individual donor’s needs. The donation becomes official once it is reviewed and approved by Special Collections and Archives staff. The department generally does not accept University Archives materials on deposit or on loan.

Monetary Appraisals for Tax Deductions

You may be able to take a tax deduction for the donation of personal papers to University Archives at Cal Poly. However, Special Collections and Archives staff cannot provide monetary appraisals of your gifts. We can supply you with a list of professional appraisers, and we encourage you to discuss possible tax implications with your accountant and attorney.

To discuss the possible gift of archival material, contact University Archives at ude.yloplacnull@sevihcra or call 805-756-2305.

Preservation Basics

University Archives Gifts

Nearly all of our holdings are acquired through gift deed. The Special Collections and Archives Department welcomes referrals by Cal Poly faculty and staff as well as the public regarding potential collections for University Archives. All decisions relating to acceptance of collections and the terms of the gift remain with the Director of Special Collections and Archives, and may also be informed by resource allocation considerations. All collections must have a signed Deed of Gift or Acknowledgement of Transfer executed stipulating conditions relating to rights to the material, physical ownership, future care and other legal responsibilities.